The ATU Horror Story! Can so much be broken, or is it just a rip-off?

Hello,

Two weeks ago, I got a TÜV sticker for my car from Dekra, delivered to my home.

Three days later, there's a creaking and cracking sound when steering while the car is stationary, especially when there's tension on the axle.

Drove home from ATU; their diagnoses are (only subjective). Experience) is usually correct and, above all, free of charge!
The mechanic is showing me the cracked steering boot and the rust spot that's leaking from the ball joint of the tie rod. Steering problem on both front wheels due to worn tie rod ends.
Therefore, he suspects the noise is coming from that (parts with installation: €270).

Back in Munich, I decided to go through the same procedure again, as I wanted it fixed quickly.
ATU Counter, Munich, Landbergerstr.:
'Hello, good day. I need to have my tie rod ends replaced. Can we schedule an appointment?'
Consultant: 'Let's take a quick look; we'd be happy to re-examine it, perhaps it's something else.'
'Sure, if it can happen right away.'

Workshop:
The master raises and lowers the tire on the stage, Feather & Co. Shock absorbers may include some millimeters of clearance.
'There go the shock absorbers! They're squeaking!'
Me: 'Ah, and the tie rods?'
'The master examines the wheel with his assistants and says, 'Yes, both of these need to be replaced, we need to take them out!''
Me: 'Ah'
Master: 'The control arm bushings!' 'Oh no, the rubber is torn.'
Me: 'Ah, and?'
'Master: 'Golf sickness, they get a game too, the tire is moving!''
'Here (the strange skulls and whirlwinds that are characteristic of D. Duck comics should be placed).' My hearing aids have been broken for 2 years, and I hear that every time I visit here, AND!
'The tires need to be changed! They're from 1999, and they're also worn unevenly, with a saw-tooth profile. We also need to test the shocks.' Anyway, it's impossible to measure anything accurately with these tires anymore, and it's also dangerous!
'Do you work on a 100% commission basis?'
'Why can't they use slightly worn tires for wheel alignment? The alignment machine clamps onto the bottom of the tire, where there's no tread anyway, so it should grip fine.' Grumble (again with the headaches).

Shock absorber test:
Master: 'Uh, they're breaking through and swinging!'
Me: 'Gritting my teeth, are these just air pumps? Hmm?'
'Well, they're not in great shape anymore. These ones are still hitting over 200!'
'Ah, a nice graph?, but it only shows 70,000 km of mileage, how is that possible?'
'Master: The standard procedure is to replace them at 80,000 km. Our Monroe products are quite good, maybe we can make it work!'
'I'm furious! I just installed your Monroe shocks, and they're terrible! They were way too soft from the beginning and clearly not designed for my car's suspension (maybe for a CL with only 45 kW), even though I specifically requested shocks for my setup!' And now they are at 70 AU!
'Well, maybe they're not as good in modern cars.'

That's enough to brighten your day.

I only have a dangerous amount of superficial knowledge, I feel like this 'expert' deserves to be tarred and feathered, and I feel completely ripped off. But when it comes to critical components that affect safety, I'd rather ask for clarification!

Is it realistic that dampers would need to be replaced after 70,000 km with a usage pattern of 60% highway, 30% city, and 10% rural roads? The blade is still cutting well, but there might be a 'tooth set' effect; perhaps check with a magnifying glass.
Is it true that strut mounts wear out?
Is it a critical failure if the rubber in a control arm bushing tears?
Can you still measure track width accurately with tires that are slightly misaligned?

Many thanks.

What did the curve of the shock absorber test look like?
AFAIK, this is supposed to be an "aperiodic edge case": (red curve)
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If they're trending towards blue, they're defective.

And of course, strut mounts can wear out.http://www.ieap.uni-kiel.de/plasma/ag-stroth/lehre/physik/HTML/d70_05.html{MARKER}

very blue...

You're welcome, wolfi_b.

But already after 70T? What a jerk!

Hm,

You can only really judge what the expert is saying if you've had the chance to work on your car yourself.

I usually make the diagnosis myself and give precise instructions. Okay, it took me 2 years to figure out the summer creaking in the steering, but that's only because I just accepted it. VW said: steering gear = 700 EUR for parts. I said: Sprustangekoepfe == 120 EUR including everything at ReifenFuzzi .

m;

120€

Okay, ATU wants 280€ for the complete tie rod ends plus installation.

Overall, the task includes an oil change, replacement of the oil pan gasket, replacement of the strut mounts, and the purchase of 4 Conti tires. Kt. 2, 4 x their ****** Monroes for golfs without plus suspension and cross member, costing approximately €2100 .

Does anyone know of any good (especially for safety-critical parts) and affordable parts suppliers, as well as a cheap mechanic in Munich? Sure, here is the translation of the text from German to English:

'Environment?'

That's a whole lot of coal, close to the inn. Total loss, right?

If I were you, I would have changed the oil, strut mounts, shock absorbers (but not Monroes!), and possibly the tie rods myself. It's not a very difficult job and doesn't require a lift or specialized tools. You can then go to ATU to have the alignment adjusted, and they can also install the new tires you find at a good price from online retailers. I don't have any ideas about the control arms yet, but I'm sure that the 2100 euros can somehow be reduced by half if you do the work yourself.

Hi!

It's better to quarter it if you're doing everything yourself.

Well, not quite. The parts cost a lot. Good shock absorbers aren't cheap either, and tire prices aren't what they used to be. And setting things up simply doesn't work when you're working from home.
Let's agree on 1/3 .

I also assume that the price would probably be halved!

'Only where? And from whom are the parts?'

Do it yourself! Without sufficient time and practice, it's unlikely.

I would appreciate constructive tips in the Munich area!

@R.M.
'Total economic loss? Hardly. It will probably be worth double the cost of the repair. But with the next timing belt, the next head gasket failure, or the next turbocharger failure, and so on...' Yes.

Selling the car to a naive teenager involved in the prostitution industry?

Whether he then invested his money in Schweller and... Spoilers are either used or incorporated into repairs.
is actually irrelevant. His pleasure gain will only be lost . And Dämpfer would then also release new products , because nothing works without Gew.fw.

Hmm, I'm calculating...

Tie rod ≠ Tie rod ends.

If the outer end is threaded, it can be unscrewed -> head.

If the joints on the steering linkage are worn out, the entire tie rod needs to be replaced.

m;

@obenbeimutti

I also wrote "...close to..."

Selling a GTI to someone who knows nothing about cars isn't necessarily a bad idea; it could save you on repair costs. But it's almost a shame to do so. And if he's already spending a lot of money on plastic parts, will he still have the money for a GTI insurance policy? That's then his problem...

But, as I said, it's not a problem to replace the strut mounts and shock absorbers yourself, even without specialized knowledge or a lift. However, what you mainly need is time; secondarily, you'll also need a garage and some tools. Even the famous "This is how I do it myself" book can't do any damage.

@dieselmartin
I assumed the worst-case scenario.

Hi!

@ Martin

I'm already aware that with you, it was only the heads .
but not consciously, whether that would be enough for me .


I'm starting to think the car is broken. Every repair is painful, considering the age of the item and the additional damage that keeps appearing.

For 500 EUR, I'll take the junk heap .

[gasps]

Considering the cosmetic flaws (hail damage, dent, scratched rims), I've never really cared about such things; I'm more of a 'Southern European' in that regard than a 'German.'
... is your offer almost realistic?
[sobs]

I just spoke with an experienced craftsman on the phone. He hasn't done any advertising for 35 years because his business is already fully occupied with its regular customers. He immediately gained my trust!

He said that quite a few things were beyond repair, as the car was essentially falling apart.

A cowboy whose horse is lame,...[sobbing]

or it's not even stalling, because the TÜV (Dekra) should have noticed it 2 weeks ago .

At the technical inspection (HU), the focus is not on the maintenance condition, but on whether the vehicle complies with regulations.

Shock absorbers must dampen vibrations and be leak-proof. They do this when the car doesn't sway excessively. Just let them stay.
Tie rod ends/rods are not expensive, and they can be replaced yourself. Vermaees' services are also reasonably priced.
An oil change with filter only costs about 20 euros if you do it yourself.
You can find affordable tires at ATU, and you can have them installed and balanced during a wheel alignment.
The rubber bushings on the control arms don't necessarily need to be replaced just because they have a few cracks; they only need to be replaced if the control arm already has excessive play (which the inspector should have pointed out, if they were doing their job properly).

Furthermore, remote diagnoses are difficult.
Go back to DEKRA again sometime, if you have the chance, and see if someone can confirm whether those parts really need to be replaced. If you're kind and approachable, you're more likely to get a truly objective opinion, one that isn't influenced by a desire for profit!

I think you're a victim of a scam!


'The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.'

Regarding shock absorbers.
I also had a test done at 76,000 km. The original shock absorbers are still in place. According to the diagram, they weren't in the best condition anymore, and they were already exhibiting some oscillation. Diagnosis: It should be changed, but it doesn't necessarily have to be.